pastorrudytlc

Last week we showed the Movie, “Miracles from Heaven” at The Lighthouse Church. The Movie is based on the true story of Christy Beam and her intense and passionate journey with God, Family, Friends- Old and New, Feisty and Faithful Church People, Devoted and Disinterested Doctors, Hospitals Near and Far and most importantly her personal Faith. We witness Christy’s battle through the ups and downs caused by her daughter Anna’s suffering from a rare digestive disorder and the miraculous healing that occurs after barely surviving a horrific and freak accident of Anna falling 30 feet to the bottom of a hollow tree. It is at the bottom of that tree while Anna’s body lies hanging in the balance that this little one’s soul is brought into the presence of God. And in a whisper that transcends actual words, the Lord tells Anna that she can’t stay with Him just yet, but when she is returned to her body, she will be healed…and that she is Even the Critics can’t deny the fact that Anna had a terminal disease when she fell, but she literally arose from that tomb with new life. It is a several boxes of tissues movie and Actress Jennifer Garner plays the role of Christy Beam with conviction, honesty and a rawness of character that anyone who has been down this road with their children and loved ones would fully comprehend.   

I can’t lie to you; “Miracles from Heaven” hit me below the belt. It got through my layers of defense mechanisms and literally struck anew the raw nerves of what I have discovered is still a very broken, battered, bruised, but also ultimately a recognizably blessed and grateful heart! My wife Terri and I made eye contact several times as this Video was on the big screen. We both knew internally what Christy Beam and her Husband Kevin were facing for we had been there and done that lap around life’s track more times than I ever cared to get roped into that ride.

As many of you know, our now 25 year old daughter Abbie is a cancer survivor because when she was just 3, there were 8 cancerous tumors discovered on her kidney and since they removed it, she has been thankfully living free of the return of that terrible monster that has visited so many of us. But the year after Abbie’s surgery, our son Nicholas Paul was born on April 5^th in Omaha, Nebraska and did not survive the day. We played tug and war with Heaven and lost that struggle as we begged for the healing of our little one and God still took him home. Thinking that something like that could never happen again, you can imagine the sheer numbness as déjà vu ran its course 4 years later here in New Jersey as our son Benjamin joined his Brother in March of 1999.

In 2000, my Hero who also happened to be my Dad was diagnosed with bladder cancer and by September of that year, he too would leave another hole the size of the Grand Canyon in my heart. Somehow I limped on continuing to pastor and serve and shepherd the flock and in 20002, Terri and I were both shocked and scared out of our minds to find out she was pregnant. I will never forget standing in Cape Regional as the Doctors counseled us to do the wise and prudent thing and abort this baby so that we would not have to experience yet another tragedy. I guess to give them the benefit of the doubt; they believed that this would be best for our psyche and everyday mental health. But there was no possible way that Terri and I could ever choose that option and if you were near the chapel that day hearing this guy pray, I would have made Jennifer Garner’s outbursts look tame and passive at best. I screamed out to God begging Him to show up and do something positive for a change! I was angry, hurt, scared and numb all at the same time. Anybody who tells you that if you follow Jesus everything will be absolutely easy and wonderful is lying!

On July 30, 2003, in the wee small hours of the morning- Joel Thomas Sheptock was born. He will turn 13 in a few days. Nobody in the medical field gave him a snowball’s chance in hell to survive, but the cold never bothered me anyway and we witnessed a miracle from Heaven. Joel’s name means Jehovah Elohim: The Lord is God. He may have parents old enough to actually be his grandparents- but if it worked for Abraham and Sarah- it worked for us.

Now if this was Hollywood, the story would end on this high note. Heck, even in life you are taught that you want to go out a winner with a hit in your last at bat. Joel was Terri’s 8^th pregnancy and with our 2 miscarriages and Nicholas and Benjamin in Heaven and Rudy, Leah, Abbie and Joel on Earth, it just seemed right. But we don’t write the script and life doesn’t always imitate art. There is a dialogue in the Movie where the Pastor and Christy have this conversation. I have come to know this truth in the pit of my gut even as painful as it was to learn. Pastor: “We can’t choose our neighbors. We just have to love them.” Christy: “Well I’m gonna have to love them from home, because I can’t go to church with them.” Pastor: “That’s not the reason you stopped going. What’s the real reason?” Christy: “Why would a loving God let my little girl suffer the way she is?” Pastor: “Just because she’s suffering doesn’t mean he’s not a loving God.” At the foundation of everything is the reality that if you don’t believe God is good then you will never trust Him!

In June 2005, on the very day that our oldest Son Rudy graduated Middle Township High School, my wife Terri could not be there to celebrate. She was in Cape Regional because earlier that afternoon, our final baby was born and graduated to Heaven before he or she even took a breath of this planet’s air. It was a quiet and surreal afternoon. I held that little one and cried my eyes out yet again. My prayer was something like this, “Why God if you were going to take this one to be with You would you make us have to do this again? Didn’t we get it right the first 4 times?” It made no sense to me. And to allow it to happen on Rudy’s graduation day; what’s with that? I witnessed 2 graduations that day. One event filled my soul and the other happening broke it even further. There would be no “Miracle from Heaven,” that day or at least as we would define it. And maybe therein lies the problem. Maybe you and I have never truly comprehended what makes a miracle just that? 

There is another scene in “Miracles from Heaven” between Anna and her hospital roommate named Haley. This little girl with a form of cancer too would not be mended this side of Glory. Yet one conversation changed her destiny. Haley to Anna: “Why do you want the cross with you?” Anna: “It’s just like a reminder.” Haley: “Of what?” Anna: “That Jesus is with me.” Haley: “Do you think He’s with me too?” Anna: “Of course He is!” 

God, I am thankful that even when I have no clue what You are doing, I still know You. Deep inside I have known You have cared for us, and looked out for us, even when I feel absolutely nothing but pain. Nothing that happens doesn’t have a purpose attached to it and I am grateful that You have used and applied truth as we have even crawled through this life. I will trust You even when I do not know what’s happening- because You are a good, loving, and faithful Father and Your ways are taking us to the ultimate Miracle- being forever together with You! So as I have done many a day, even when I want to punch somebody’s lights out, I raise my arms high into the air with surrendered clenched fists- and I shout defiantly at Hell itself- that even through the storms-God is still God and my only hope! Life will never go my way no matter how hard I pray, but it will always be under the control of the God who is good and in His goodness shows us that when we are weak, we are strong! And that might be the greatest Miracle of all!

Say you are a Parent and you desire your children to obey the rules that you have set before them. You know that if your love for them is true, you must point them out and enforce the boundaries because they are very necessary for your kids to grow up healthy, strong and well adjusted. But what if you just talked a good game and set no example at all that you were serious about practicing what you preached? What if you punished them for their disobedience while at the same time proceeded to behave very badly right before their watching eyes? After witnessing your hypocritical double standards for years, your kids rebel in a big way. They become liars and cheaters and selfish individuals who show no respect for anyone and anything. Now the real question is, “Who’s to blame?” You can say with your lips that you did everything you possibly could to raise them well but did you? Don’t you have to model a proper example if you long to lead well? Don’t you have to bear some of the responsibility?

 Like many of you I am disgusted and frustrated by the state of our world these days! It is beyond belief how the lives of human beings have been devalued right before our very eyes. People of all kinds of color from all different walks of life on all different parts of our planet are being gunned down, blown up and tragically murdered right before our very eyes. Nobody is totally safe anymore and no destination is guaranteed to be terror free. And we can spend all night blaming these random acts of violence on the guns and the bombs and the other weapons of mass destruction but may I add an additional hypothesis. Could the crazy and chaotic actions of our society be traced back to the reality that we have horrible leadership who has no intentions of setting the bar any higher than their unwillingness to take the road less traveled?

 You can’t expect people to do what they have not been equipped to live up to? How are we supposed to trust government when the very politicians put themselves above the law they are sworn to uphold. Kings, Dictators, Potentates and Presidents who use the population for their own glory and fame are dangerous and deadly. They rule by stirring up fear and an utter dependence of the crowd to fall in the ranks of the party line if they want to live anything that resembles a prosperous existence. How are we to look up to those who turn a blind eye to their own mistakes and sins? Don’t give me political correctness when what we really need is a return to championing morality and integrity. And how can you prove that the creation is of worth unless you get that value from the utter reality that we were fearfully and wonderfully designed by a Creator.

 This selfie philosophy that so dominates our everyday lives will eventually become the very thing that will do us in. God made us in his own image and with that truth comes the very essence of why every single life matters. The reason “Thou shall not murder” is cherished as a precious commandment is because the origin of this precept is discovered in the holiness of the one who gave it to us. The Judeo-Christian belief system teaches over and over again that the greatest advice and counsel God ever gave to mankind was to first love the Lord with all of our heart, mind, soul and strength and then go on to love one another in that same manner. But that’s narrow and intolerable cries the throngs of an egocentric humanity; and so because it all comes down to what everybody says- rather than what anybody does- we have no real measuring rod to guide and keep accountable what is quickly evolving into the mob mentality of the old west where anything goes and the one with the quickest gun wears the badge and literally calls the shots!

 Family, we need God more than ever. To edit faith from the marketplace is to open the gates to those who see no harm in looting the customers. You can’t have it both ways. As Elijah once challenged 450 religious false prophets who endorsed anarchy up on the top of Mount Carmel, let the real God show his face and the losing deity go back to where he came from; I say let us stop this charade of pretending that there aren’t those who are hiding behind the guise of religion to cosmetically mask their hatred for everyone who isn’t them. Believers in Jesus must not be ashamed to take a stand for the light in the middle of the night because the only power big enough to wipe out the potential annihilation of the human race is our utter and complete surrender to a Savior who has proved that he could walk the talk and did so by laying his life down so we could pick it up. Christianity unleashed lets love conquer fear and wisdom stomp out ignorance. I just think that it is just short of ridiculous how the only real medicine that can cure this disease is the one elephant in the room that nobody wants to acknowledge and cling to anymore.

 You can’t negotiate with haters. You can’t reason with dictators. You can’t play a meaningful game with cheaters. You can’t expect our world to become a safer place by expelling the way, the truth and the life. I will not give in to fear. I will not turn back from my following Jesus. I will fight for every life as long as I have life and breath. I can’t vote for anyone I can’t believe in. I also can’t discern the health of the earth by only looking through my own grid and making conclusions based on nothing nobler than, “How does this affect me?” It is time for all godly men and women to speak up and either put up or stop your complaining because those who do nothing but dance around the issues or tender old and tired clichés while the USA is on fire will be sorry when the hysteria hits their own backyard! I love and encourage all the social media challenges to “Pray for Orlando” “Dallas” “France” and everywhere. But are you ready to respond obediently to the God you are praying to? As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord by being like Jesus until the day we finally see him face to face. I challenge you to join me in that cause because I guarantee that it won’t be just hot air but the fresh air that ushers in the wind of the Holy Spirit to turn the hearts of his people back to the one who made them!          

Believe it or not, marriage really was God’s idea! God made man and the Lord knew that Adam was pretty helpless without a proper helpmate. So out of the chaos, God brought order in presenting to Adam, Eve! And suddenly Adam didn’t have to try to find his soulmate in one of the animals that he had been busily giving names to. When he first made eye contact with Eve, I believe that Adam gave a very approving, “Wow!” And to this very day, marriage is clear proof of God’s creative purpose at work. The joining together of two persons who more often than not couldn’t be more opposite, and then bringing them together to become one!

 Marriage is evidence that one of the greatest priorities of life should be relationships. The greatest commandment is for us to love God with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength! The second commandment is for us to love one another in the same sacrificial manner that the Lord loves us. When we start living to primarily be about giving, there is no possible way we can miss our true calling and purpose. When a husband takes a wife, it allows God room to establish a new family, a new legacy and a new heritage. And together as a couple, this union will open the door to accomplishments that could never be done alone or with anybody else! That is why I am a big fan of couples choosing to enter into the covenant of marriage over non-committal cohabitation. Where there is no stepping out by faith building a foundation based upon solemn vows made before God and others, there is also no accountability or fight to stay with one another through every season of life; both the good, the bad, the ugly and the very beautiful! 

 If you are already married, what have you done lately to show your spouse that you are just as dedicated to those weighty words of love that you once shared with one another when your journey was beginning? Are you honestly bringing your best effort and your “A” game to the union in order to keeping the flames of passion burning bright? Are you even trying to communicate, “I Love You,” on a regular basis? Or have you allowed apathy and routine to steal, kill and destroy the hopes and dreams you once held so dear for a happily ever after partnership?   

 Eugene Peterson, in his paraphrase of the New Testament called, “The Message” translates the Love Chapter of 1 Corinthians 13 like this. Let these words marinate in the crockpot of your heart and use them as a way to evaluate if you are treating love as the verb that it was always meant to be. Paul said, “If I speak with human eloquence and angelic ecstasy but don’t love, I’m nothing but the creaking of a rusty gate. If I speak God’s Word with power, revealing all his mysteries and making everything plain as day, and if I have faith that says to a mountain, “Jump,” and it jumps, but I don’t love, I’m nothing. If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don’t love, I’ve gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I’m bankrupt without love. Love never gives up. Love cares more for others than for self. Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have. Love doesn’t strut, doesn’t have a swelled head, doesn’t force itself on others, isn’t always “me first,” doesn’t fly off the handle, doesn’t keep score of the sins of others, doesn’t revel when others grovel, takes pleasure in the flowering of truth, puts up with anything, trusts God always. It constantly seeks the best, never looks back, and keeps going to the end. Love never dies. Inspired speech will be over some day; praying in tongues will end; understanding will reach its limit. We know only a portion of the truth, and what we say about God is always incomplete. But when the complete finally arrives, our incompletes will be canceled. So for right now, until that completeness, we have three things to do to lead us toward that consummation: Trust steadily in God, hope unswervingly, love extravagantly. And the best and greatest of the three is love.”

 Give your very best to the one that you claim to love the most! If you can be kind to others, then you can be gracious and compassionate to the one you promised forever to. Communication takes time and even if you can’t always understand what your spouse is trying to say, at least be willing to get help in the translation. Talk to one another and not at one another. Be honest and truthful and don’t hide things in the closet that you would be embarrassed if your loved ones saw it. Look up for God’s strength and help when it comes to living a life of love. Stop making excuses and start executing strategies of intentional ways to make love real. Stop with the guilt! Sever the attached strings that hinder you from offering unconditional love. Do something outlandish and unexpected! Sweep her off her feet and stop tripping her up. Knock him out with your God given beauty and cease making your times together a battle. Remember and rekindle what attracted you to one another in the first place. Make divorce the last resort. Dare to dive in to the deep end of the ocean to rescue your beloved rather than seeing your hopes and dreams drown as you watch from a deadly distance.

 Why not review your vows so you can renew your vows?  Take her in your arms and let her know that you cherish and treasure her! Join hands and pray with one another trusting God together from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, till death do you part! Kiss your bride and smooch your groom! Do whatever it takes to prove that your love is neither cheap nor common; indeed, it is of unimaginable worth. Brag about one another! Treat her like a Princess. Make him know that he is still your Prince. Love in word and deed. Be willing to plant the seed so that God can redeem your vineyard anew. It is only too late if you have given up! But this could be the start of returning romance to your relationship. If God loves us with a honeymoon love, why would we settle for anything less? I have set the table. I have cooked up some challenges. I have invited you to the feast. Will you do your part to make love come alive again?

It is the 4^th of July weekend as I write this. The phrase “Independence Day” is plastered just about everywhere. Yet as I think about the concept of “Freedom,” I must honestly admit how chained up I still feel at times. There are too many days I wake up feeling like a dud among the diamonds. When I look at my reflection in the mirror, more often than not, I see more soot than sunshine and I yearn for the words insecurity and inferiority to be erased from being written all over my face. How many of us know in our minds what we should believe but something gets very lost in the translation as it attempts to cross the highway from the head to the heart?

 I daily pray for God to give me opportunities to encourage others because I love to see the spirits of my family, my friends and my flock lifted up and strengthened by sentences of love and life. When the Bible declares that we have been fearfully and wonderfully made, I know undeniably that truth like this is treasure that can’t stay buried by the shovels of dirt consisting mostly of the cheap lies that attempt to cover up the jewels of the riches from heaven that define who we really are. I have no hesitation in believing the value and worth of what God says is genuinely real for every other human being alive on this planet. It is when it comes to personally applying the Lord’s wisdom to my own life that my vehicle of confidence runs smack into the pitfalls and potholes of discouragement and doubt. I hate to be hemmed in by prison bars especially when I know that Jesus holds the key and he is longing to unlock the cell door and open it wide so it can lead both me and you to uninterrupted adventures with him. Why can’t I trust what he says and not be so weighed down by what I see? Why can’t I rest in an environment built upon the solid foundation that God is good all the time and he does love me no matter what the circumstances communicate?

 Why are we so susceptible to being duped by the daily deception that deals its death darts in ample supply? Why do we work so hard to portray and protect an image that amounts to not much more than us becoming a mannequin of shallow and superficial misconception? We become addicted to social media where we subconsciously compare our real lives to other people’s carefully edited highlight reels where all the errors have been scripted out. What will it take for us to realize that we can’t keep wasting minutes we don’t have while we wait endlessly for a season of perfection that will probably never come? Are we running out of gas seeking to be energized by an audience that isn’t even paying attention? Is texting a true substitute for talking? Is quality time reduced to nothing more than simply sharing space in a room with nobody making eye contact never mind even desiring to? Help us God before we run out of chances to wake up and invest in what lasts before the last second on our clock strikes zero!

 When was the last time you weren’t ruled by the clock? How many times have you been locked into a schedule that forces you to perform daily duties that you actually can’t stand? Are you so busy attempting to get done with the things that you think you have to do that you are deaf, dumb and blind to the divine appointments that God longs for you to be a part of? Is life eluding you because you are living the dream that has slowly transformed into a nightmare? Can you go a day without having to check your Facebook or see how many likes your last Instagram picture got? The Lord is calling each one of us to link our lives to his leading rather than force his hand into our own agendas? How would life be different if we really were free to live outside our man made modes of fascination? What if we let God redefine our definition of being rich? What if we chose to behave like citizens of heaven starting now and not waiting until after we die?

 240 years ago, our forefathers signed the Declaration of Independence. It started into motion what became the Land of the free and the Home of the brave. Over the years we have become a spoiled nation and a culture of entitlement. We have sat idly by as the political correctness of a cynical age has attempted to edit God from the fabric of very being but it is time to make a demonstrative stand and say, “No more!” Are you willing to make a promise to God in a humble act of dedicated dependence? Are you courageous enough to stop trying to live above your means and be content to celebrate what you have been given? Can you be bold enough to live to give? Will you long to be known not for who you want to be or pretend to be but for who you really are? God I want to kick anxiety to the curb and leave it homeless as I embrace an active faith that isn’t heartless but  hopeful and determined to not let go when God is so willing to hold on to me and to you. Will you finally trust the Lord in such a manner that makes a difference now? Will you be honest with God in such the way that healing and wholeness can replace the worry and weariness that will bring absolutely no fruit to your dying tree? Today is the day to promise God that from the rising of the sun to the going down of the same, you will praise the name of the Lord and allow him to be lifted up high in all you say and do! Will you?                    

Have you personally experienced the life changing love of the Lord Jesus who is a committed lifeguard that refuses to let you go? Jesus is devoted to being on the lookout for any one of us who might choose to wander into an area of life’s ocean where if he doesn’t intervene, we are destined to drown. I have learned that lifeguards can’t properly do their job if the one they are seeking to rescue fights and struggles rather than just surrendering their entire body into the hands of their savior. It is not so much about us trying to hold on to the lifeguard as much it comes down to the truth that he will not let go of us.

There is no reason that any of us should die spiritually because of all that Jesus has done for us! He was proactive in swimming out to us even before we asked him to. Too many people care too much about being embarrassed by their neediness rather than just admit how desperate they are to be led to safety.

I wish this next story was just a bad joke, but unfortunately it is true. It is a tale that makes me scratch my head and wonder aloud if this world can get any more ignorant than it already is. A lifeguard from Princeton, New Jersey shared this ridiculous happening and its unbelievable response just because he was doing his job. As he was being interviewed he said, “I was lifeguarding and I jumped in to help a boy who had wandered into deep water. He appeared to be struggling and I wanted to intervene before it was too late. The boy’s mother came running over to the lifeguard and see if you can read this dialogue without wanting to bang your head against the wall. Mother: “What happened?” Lifeguard: “Everything is OK, ma’am. Your son just went into the deep into the water but I got him in time and he should be fine.” Mother: “Well, why the h*** did you help him?” Lifeguard: “Excuse me?” Mother: “Why did you have to jump in and help him?” Lifeguard: “Well, ma’am, it’s my job, and your son was having trouble swimming–” Mother: “You idiot! You embarrassed my son in front of everyone! Don’t you think you should have thought about how embarrassing that must have been for my little boy?! Lifeguard: “Actually, no I didn’t think about that. I was more concerned about your son drowning than his macho reputation.” Mother: “That’s ridiculous! Why the heck would you ever be more concerned about that?” Because this lifeguard thought that this boy’s survival was a bigger priority than his social standing, he was fired and let go from his job. I believe people do the same thing with Jesus.

A true shepherd knows that he isn’t there to make the sheep happy but he is hired to keep them alive! Jesus was rejected by the religious leaders because they refused to receive Jesus as Jesus. They wanted a Messiah on their own terms. They didn’t want a God as much as they desired a gopher! Because the Pharisees refused to acknowledge Jesus as a viable candidate to be their redeemer, they missed out on joining God’s flock! It is not that people do not believe because they haven’t heard. It is more that people don’t want to hear the truth because they refuse to believe the facts staring them right in the eyes. It is not signs that produce faith. It is childlike faith that results in a miraculous affirmation that God is a promise keeper and by his grace we are transformed forever because we choose to embrace Jesus rather than devise a plan to execute him. It is the pride of humanity that changes what should have been a coronation into a confrontation. Don’t make that mistake.

Have you ever been abandoned when you needed somebody most? Have you ever been let to make it on your own when all you craved was somebody who cared enough to love you? Have you ever been used and abused when all you really ever longed for was that somebody who didn’t run away from you just when you needed him most? Like it or not, we all need a lifeguard and if you would be honest about your search, you would discover that Jesus fits the bill.      

 We have all heard about the tragedy that happened recently in Disney when the alligator dragged a boy to his death. The other day, I was watching an interview about a grown man who had a similar experience when he was just a kid. On a hot summer day in South Florida, when he was a little boy, he decided to go for a swim in the lake behind his house. In a hurry to dive into the cool water, he ran out the back door, leaving behind shoes, socks, and shirt as he went. He flew into the water, not realizing that as he swam toward the middle of the lake, an alligator was swimming toward the shore. His Mother, working in the yard, saw the two as they got closer and closer together. In utter fear, she ran toward the water, yelling to her son as loudly as he could.

Hearing his voice, the little boy became alarmed and tried to make a U-turn to swim to his mother. It was too late. Just as he reached his mother, the alligator reached him. Jumping into the lake, the mother grabbed her little boy by the arms just as the alligator snatched his legs. That began an incredible tug-of-war between the two. The alligator was much stronger than the mother, but there was no way she was going to let go. She dug her nails deep into her son’s skin on his arms but she won the fight and her son survived.

 During the interview, the man displayed the damage that the gator had done to his legs, and he also showed the scars that remained on his arms. But with tears in his eyes, he proudly said that every time he sees the scars on his arms, he is reminded of the fact that he is only still alive because his mom refused to let go. No creature was going to snatch this child from her hands!

 Every Christian should be able to identify with that man. We all have scars, too. Maybe ours did not come from an alligator, but our bumps and bruises were caused by addictions, physical issues, broken families and burned out faith. Some of those scars are unsightly and have caused us deep regret. But, some of our wounds are the result because God refused to let go. In the midst of your struggle, he’s always been there holding on to you.

The Scripture teaches that God loves you. You are a child of God. He wants to protect you and provide for you in every way. But sometimes we foolishly wade into dangerous situations, not knowing what lies ahead. The swimming hole of life is filled with peril – and we forget that the enemy is waiting to attack. That’s when the tug-of-war begins and if you have the scars of his love as part of your appearance, be very grateful. Jesus did not, and will not ever let you go. So is he your lifeguard? Is he your lifeline? Is he your hero? I hope and pray your answer is a definitive, “Yes!”

Critics will always be lurking in the crowds that surround us.  There will always be people who believe that their biggest contribution to your life will be to bring rain to your parade.  It can be too easy to allow the nays to silence the yeas.  It is much too tempting to fall prey to the negative remarks in such the manner that the positive affirmations never reach the heart. We must not forfeit the vision because of a few thumbs down votes.  We must not surrender to the liars what will only be won by clinging to the truth!  Who is defining your direction today?

Are you making excuses or goals?  Are you looking to be put on the field or are you anchored to the bench?  Are you willing to speak up even if it costs your popular place in the culture?  I don’t want to fit in where I don’t belong.  I am definitely not willing to be stuck in a box that I was never created to be packaged for. Now more than ever we need people of faith to be willing to put their behavior where they claim their beliefs are!  Let the Church not be just a building but a body of believers who are passionately serious about seeing lives transformed by the God who made them.

It is time to be stirred anew by the Holy Spirit.  It is time to pray and ask God about what you can do to give God room to move within your sphere of influence.  What are you dreaming about that you believe the Lord is calling you to do?  What area of your walk can undeniably profess that, “If God doesn’t show up”… its not happening!?  You can’t be spiritual without the Holy Spirit.  You can’t call yourself a Christian if you don’t follow Christ!  You can’t leave a legacy if you aren’t’ sold out to a life of solid love!

It was 19 years ago this coming week that I said yes to coming to Cape May County.  I am about to embark on my 20^th year as the Pastor of The Lighthouse Church.  I am in no way, shape, or form ready to retire.  I am begging God for a fresh wind and holy fire!  What God has done, I am eternally thankful for, but I believe His best is still yet to come.  We live in a county that desperately needs healing from addiction!  We dwell in an area that has God’s beauty everywhere, and He is calling us to be His tour guides.  We are here to show people where to look to see Jesus and to share our stories so they will discover how they can know the Lord!  This is no time for subtraction!  If we want God to multiply His blessings then we need to be willing to do  more “plussing”…than fussing!!

So who are you showing Jesus to today?  What project are you presently involved in with the Lord?  How are you trusting God?  Are you tired of being sick and defeated?  Are you ready to rise up and come alive again?  Is this just another June or are you investing in heaven in such the way that this becomes a summer of love on earth?  One of the Bible’s favorite words is “TODAY”…and if you want a TOMORROW of hope, you need to make a move of faith TODAY.  If you have a pulse, you have a purpose.  But if you can’t name that purpose, then you need to discover anew what He wants you to do!

Growing up in northern New Jersey, I was partial to the New York Jets when it came to football. Charismatic superstar Joe Namath had guaranteed a Super Bowl victory over the then highly favored Baltimore Colts, and he delivered. How could I not lean to cheering for them? But we moved to Chester in 1972 and because of its location, we began to receive not only New York television stations, but those coming from Philadelphia. The Eagles were absolutely terrible back then but they had acquired Los Angeles Golden Boy Roman Gabriel and the combination of Gabriel to Carmichael had me hooked. I was now glued to the Team that’s only championship came in the year I was born!

 I loved Roman Gabriel and as far as I am concerned, it was his Number 5 Eagles Uniform that should have been retired. I got my own jersey made bearing his name and I still wear it proudly! I believe that Roman Gabriel’s name still commands attention in the world of sports fans in this area.

And this is one of the reasons that we reached out to Roman Gabriel III asking him to come to The Lighthouse Church to spend the Father’s Day weekend with us this year and now because it is upon us, this coming weekend.

 Roman Gabriel III says, “My childhood was definitely out of the ordinary, surrounded by the sights and sounds of professional football and me being the son of a very famous NFL quarterback. My Dad played football from the time I was born until the day that I graduated from high school and I knew early on that I wanted to be just like him and play quarterback in the NFL. Our family’s life was definitely in the media spotlight in Southern California, but God Bless my Mom who did everything within her power to keep my Brother and I grounded through church. I believed in God, but it was not until my Parents’ divorce and the resulting pain that followed that I realized my great need for the Lord in my life.

This is what gives Roman his message that I believe our Men in this County need to hear. He adds, “I made a commitment to follow God both on and off the field. It was, and still is, the best decision I have ever made. God used that time in my life to prepare me for pro football and eventually for full-time ministry. The peaks and valleys of life and the lessons learned on the football field have given me a unique platform to share the gospel with passion, intention, and clarity.”

 After playing college football for the University of New Mexico, doing a very short stint with the NFL’s Oakland Raiders and going on to play one year in the now defunct United States Football League (USFL), it would be a neck injury that ended Gabriel III’s pro career. Today he ministers to high school, college and professional football players. Roman teaches football skills and life principles from the Bible. He delivers a straightforward, challenging message from Scripture at conferences, men’s events, youth outreaches, banquets and Sunday worship services. For 17 years Gabriel has covered the Super Bowl through a television show entitled, “Sold Out,” and also by providing live video streaming updates which he posts on his website. His stories include testimonies from players on the two competing teams and messages from Coaches and past NFL Champions. Part of his work at the Super Bowl is to enlist professional players to join him in modeling biblical values to young, aspiring athletes. Throughout the game he is posting updates from the players on Facebook, and tweeting their stories on Twitter.

Roman says, “Through “Sold Out Ministries,” God has allowed my wife Marsha and I to bring home a Message of hope grounded in character, faith, accountability, teamwork, and a strong anti-drug and alcohol message. I am grateful to God for the privilege to challenge church leadership, men’s ministry, youth, and family with the most powerful message in the world – the gospel!” Jeremiah 29:11 is his life verse: “For I know the plans that I have for you declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you so that you might have a future and a hope.” When Roman Gabriel III walks into a room, people notice. When he speaks, people listen. His commanding presence sets the tone for his powerful message.

 Roman adds, “God has blessed me with the opportunity to reach out to people, knowing that so many settle to live a life without purpose or hope. It is our job as Christian Believers to let people know that God has an individual plan for each and every one of us. We can never reach our full potential until we tap into the source of the Spirit’s real power, joy, and abundant life – Jesus Christ. I always emphasize when I speak that it is not about who you are, but whose you are!  Be bold and share the Good News and let God do the rest! That’s what it’s all about!”

Roman Gabriel will be speaking at a Men’s Father’s Day Breakfast this Saturday June 18^th at 9am at The Lighthouse Church. It is my hope that every man and boy reading this article will find their way to this event. The cost is just $5 a person to cover breakfast but the rest of what you will gain by being there must be placed in the realm of what will be defined as “priceless.” If you don’t have the money, come anyway. Bring along a friend, a family member or any one that will benefit from so much more than just another throwaway tie this Father’s Day. Call 465-6690 for more information or email me pastorrudytlc@comcast.net  

If your soul is ever going to become strong in the Lord then there must come a time when the external fears that surround you get a chance to run head first right at your internal faith. A vibrant and living faith can only be empowered and strengthened by a personal relationship with God. The stronger the heart’s connection with the Lord, the better the chance that fear will be stopped dead in its tracks as it hits the Holy Spirit shield that protects you from the poisonous projectiles.  Every walk with God will be tested, challenged and strengthened by following the Lord through the good and bad experiences that life brings. Christianity does not grow without intentional and conscious bold moves of faith! How can you become brave, wise and seasoned if you are glued to the bench without a commitment to take the field? As Christians, we can’t just be worshippers hidden away in the safety of a sanctuary. We must also be obedient to learn how to be warriors out in the streets! Christians must be ready to play some offense! We need to swing the bat!  We need to shoot the ball!  We need to throw the pass!  We need to slap the puck!  We need to kick the goal!

 If you have ever read Ephesians 6 in the New Testament, then you are familiar with what should be the mandatory uniform of every believer, the full armor of God. The first three pieces of the wardrobe are key accessories in the Body of Christ being able to play triumphant offense! It includes the “Belt of Truth, Breastplate of Righteousness and Boots of God’s Peace!” When we are dressed for this kind of spiritual success, we quickly come to the conclusion that it sure is fun playing offense! Just like in the game of baseball, it is great to be able to hit a fastball over 500 feet! But we can’t settle in being just one dimensional players when it comes to fulfilling our positions on God’s Team. We have all known many a baseball player that was a great hitter but he couldn’t field to save his life. To this day they have never put a “Designated Hitter” in the Hall of Fame! Cooperstown is set aside only for those who excel in all the tools of the game! We call that rare individual a 5-tool player. This is an athlete who excels at hitting for average as well as possessing long ball power. He has been blessed with great base running skills and speed, throwing ability, and fielding prowess. The greatest all around baseball player that I ever saw was Willie Mays! He could hit the ball a mile, run like the wind, throw bullets from the outfield, catch baseballs that others could only chase and make constant contact at the plate!

 There’s not a Christian alive who doesn’t have complete access to all of the armor of God! We sometimes limit ourselves because we buy into the lies that tell us that we are not worthy and can’t do a thing! But because of the Spirit of God we are all capable of so much more. And the more you play offense in the faith, the better you must become at defense! As we are battling daily to be active followers of Jesus amidst a crowd going the opposite way, the enemy launches repeated volleys of blazing arrows. These are temptations trying to trip us up. These are sneaky strategies to get us to slip and slide. These are direct deceptions that cause us to become distracted and turn off the main road as we blindly follow the detour leading to our demise. But as all of hell attempts to burn down our bridges by lighting up our lusts, it is only our uncompromising passionate pursuit and love for Jesus that will cause those flaming arrows to thud harmlessly away as we deflect the devil’s darts by putting into practice the proper use of our shield! And we do even better when we combine our shields together! In community we can have some of our brothers holding their shields held high to form a roof and then we can have our sisters using their shields to build a wall that acts like a fortress of protection! Come on Christians! Get the picture! In a group we stand a much better chance of being victorious than if we stand alone.

Next we need to make sure our mind is fitted perfectly by the helmet of salvation. This headgear is literally the assurance we have as disciples that we belong to the Lord. I know who I am because I know whose I am. We are assured that we are playing for the winning team! It is our confident boost! It’s the truth that keeps the brain sane especially when you see so many lies launched at us daily.

 How many of you have ever suffered a concussion? Concussion comes from the Latin which means “to shake violently.” It is the most common type of traumatic brain injury.  The enemy wants to shake, rattle and roll our minds into becoming nothing more than lime Jell-O! We can experience spiritual concussions in our walk with God. A blow to the head spiritually is a serious thing that can leave us unbalanced, confused, dizzy, dazed and disoriented as to our purpose in life. You can’t lose your confidence as a Christian when you know that if God be for you then nothing can stand against you. Do you know who has tons of confidence? Kids do! They haven’t been educated enough yet to know what they can’t do! Remember when we would go swinging on the swings as high as we could fly? We even got jazzed when the pegs of the swing set were coming out of the ground. And then at the very height of the upswing, with arms flailing, legs kicking, we shouted as loud as we could “Geronimo! We hit the ground like a stuntman, rolling and tumbling and jumping to our feet. At the heart of being a Christian is being a child. As adults we’ve become a culture of human doings, when we were designed to live as human beings. And when we deny our design, we run the risk of destroying our design. And with the helmet of salvation strapped on- we never forget who we are and what we can do in the power of God!

 Finally, there is the sword of the Spirit. I know we see the word sword and we might think of the swashbuckling blades of Errol Flynn or Zorro slashing a Z. But we should be thinking the choreography of “West Side Story” rather than ‘The Pirates of the Caribbean.” The word used for sword is best translated “switchblade,” You have to get close to use a switchblade. You have to be right on top of somebody for it to be effective. You can’t know its effectiveness from a distance. Switchblade fighting isn’t about fighting as much as it’s about surviving and defending yourself against attack. If you want to learn to defend yourself with this kind of knife, you need intelligence, balance, and precision.

 The Word of God is an awesome defensive weapon. It keeps you light on your feet and strong in your mission. The Word of God slices through the lies of the enemy by responding with absolute truth! And the proper knowledge of taking on the enemy with the Word of God leads to fighting the kind of battle that is hand to hand and heart to heart. It cuts right through the hot air, empty arguments and vain ideas and brings the one and only true God back to being front and center!

We need to be properly trained and equipped so that we may proclaim boldly, “It is Written,” every time the enemy hits us with a shrewd, “Is it Really?” The sword of the spirit is the ability to apply God’s word by speaking it aloud right at your circumstance and surrounding. God’s Word will be the fresh breeze in a world suffering from hot air! God’s Word will give hope to the hurting, wonder to the wandering, conviction to the condescending and truth to the troubled. In the courtroom of everyday life, God’s Word spoken out is the good hard evidence you need to send the allegations and accusations of the devil back to hell where they came from!

 We are at war and there is a sense in which there will always be a battle raging and we won’t be able to escape the opposition this side of heaven. That is why we must have our armor on.

Sleep in it! Wake in it! Walk in it! Live in it! Our offense consists of the Belt of Truth, the Breastplate of Righteousness, and the Boots of God’s Peace! Our Defense depends upon the Shield of Faith, the Helmet of Salvation and the Switchblade of God’s Word. Slip it on! Straighten up! Stand Tall! Stay True! Hold your head up high and report for duty! Receive your uniform and get on the field.

We are closer than ever to the big finish and we already know we win! Each one of us still has a part to play in the big picture that God is painting! This is no time to let your guard down and Christianity is never about coasting!

How many of you today either have owned or do own a pair of Converse Chuck Taylors? The Converse Chuck Taylor, which was a favorite shoe of Elvis, who wore them in several of his movies was created by Marquis Mills Converse in 1908 in Malden, Massachusetts. The shoe was composed of a rubber soul and the upper part made of canvas. They were actually designed to be the elite shoe for the professional basketball league. It was in 1921, an American basketball player named Chuck Taylor joined a basketball team that was specially sponsored by the Converse Company and they just happened to be called The Converse All Stars.

 There was a time that Converse Chuck Taylor All Stars Sneakers were being worn by 90% of both the professional and college basketball players in our country. But if you, like me, have ever actually played the game with those shoes on, you know that there is very little protection for your ankles or your soles! This is why today the Chuck Taylor All Star Sneaker has evolved into the shoe of choice for many subcultures, particularly artists and musicians. I venture to guess that the only group that probably objects to this choice of footwear is podiatrists!

 Growing up in the 1960’s I wore Chuck Taylor sneakers but I was more drawn to another brand of shoes that my Parents never bought me. As a matter of fact, all the cool kids didn’t wear Chuck Taylors–but PF Flyers. I joke that I am still in counseling today because of this neglect! In 1933, canvas footwear pioneer BF Goodrich patented the Posture Foundation insole, an innovation in comfort and performance, and began adding the new technology to its action shoes. By the 1960s, PF was one of the most popular shoes in America. It was the shoe that helped millions “Run Faster and Jump Higher!” Johnny Quest wore PF Flyers and they came with a decoder ring. Today’s generation may recognize them as the sneakers worn by Benny “The Jet” Rodriguez in the movie The Sandlot.

 Whether it was PF Flyers, Keds, Chuck Taylors, Buster Browns to the present day offerings of Nike, Adidas, Reebok and more; there’s no denying that sneakers are absolutely still big business and the global market for athletic footwear shows no sign of slowing down. Did you know that God cares too about what find of footwear you choose to run this race called the Christian Life?

1 CORINTHIANS 9:24 says, ^“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.” HEBREWS 12:1 says, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us…” ISAIAH 40:31 says, “But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” PHILIPPIANS 3:13-14 says, “Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, ¹⁴ I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” And one more, Paul at the end of his earthly life summed it up this way to Timothy: 2 TIMOTHY 4:7 “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”

 Do you long to finish the race and keep the faith? Then you best be ready to fight the good fight and you can’t pull that off barefoot or decked out in your Scooby Doo Slippers! As Nancy Sinatra sang with her number 1 hit in 1966, you need to be wearing the boots that are made for walking because that’s just what they’ll do and one of these days those boots are either going to be marching in a victory parade behind Jesus or you are just going to be left out in the cold with spiritual plantar fasciitis. Just like you can’t play basketball in high heels though I have never even wanted to try or ever dream to win a marathon adorned with penny loafers or saddle shoes; so you too must offer up your feet to the Lord and like the shoe salesman of old allow him to properly fit you with the perfect choice of boots for battle! God literally has a pair with your name on it and for me they just happen to be a size 14, triple E, extra-wide because I have bunions the size of buffaloes on both feet and if I want to be in a position to move in step with the drumbeat of my Savior I can’t be wearing shoes that don’t fit! I actually do that every Easter and by the end of the last Service my feet are ready to revolt!

 As a matter of fact, wearing boots that don’t fit properly can be fatal. When I was in high school one winter, I went on a Youth Group Retreat with my church to Camp of The Woods in upstate New York equipped with boots that were two sizes too small. I had to curl up my toes to get my feet inside. On a hike out in the snow, my right foot actually froze within my boot and it took paramedics to cut me out of the boot and do all they could do to cure me as I got frostbite! Do your shoes fit you? Do you have them on? Are they laced up and ready to go so you can walk, follow, march, climb, fight, run, kick and jump without hesitation? Jesus demands his sheep to be wearing their supernatural spiritual sneakers. Sheep in their own strength are not known for their graceful movements. Yet we are promised that via the power available to us through the Holy Spirit, we are lambs destined to leap to brand new heights.

 Time is something we think we have plenty of but there is no assurance of that being a reality. Coaching kids today in baseball does at times drive me a bit nuts because it is not like the day that I played. In the old days, you could say to one of the kids, “Get up there to hit!” and all the player needed to do was grab a helmet and a bat and get into the batter’s box. Nowadays, it is a production number and then some. Each kid now has his own personal bag with his own personal helmet and his own batting gloves that need to be put on so he can use his own personal bat and by the time it takes to do all that, I could have built a whole new ballpark! I usually have to say, “Hey do you mind moving it along so you can possibly take a few swings before the season is over?” My whole point is that we need to come dressed not just to look like a disciple, but to be ready to move like one!

 The Roman Soldier’s war boot was called a caliga.  It was an open toed leather boot with a heavily nail studded sole that was tied to the ankles and to the shins with straps. Since the average ancient soldier marched on rough, hot roads, and climbed over jagged rocks, trampled over thorns, and waded through streambeds of jagged stones, his feet not only needed much protection; he rarely took his boots off while on duty! A known battle strategy in the days of Paul was that enemy soldiers would plant razor sharp objects on the ground facing the opponent. The idea was for these spikes to pierce the soles of the unprepared soldiers when they came charging in. Those without adequate protection under their feet would be severely wounded. Even the best soldier would be rendered useless once he became debilitated by such injury. A soldier whose feet were blistered, cut, or swollen could not fight well and often was not able to stand up and that created a perilous situation in battle.

 Believers need to be very ready with their boots already on and firmly planted securely upon the firm foundation and the solid rock of the word of God and the God of the word! We can stand our ground when God is the one who grounds our stand! So lace them up and let’s get going. We’ve got miles to go and only minutes to spare! Are you ready boots? Start walking!

I learned of two wonderful women who passed on from this world this last week. One happened to be the charismatic wife of my first Boss in Ministry and the other was a well-loved, respected and beautiful individual who graced our own community here in Cape May County. Like many other possessions, time is something we Americans forever take for granted. In our culture, too many of us never give a second thought about conserving water as we let it run constantly while brushing our teeth or taking a shower. Yet if we called home on many other neighborhoods of this planet where water is a cherished commodity and not flowing in a never ending supply, we surely would not be so flippant and careless about its use. We treat time in much the same manner and forget that it keeps ticking away and nobody is given carte blanche when it comes to cheating the clock and calendar. Why does it more often than not take a tragedy for us to wake up to the immensity of the gift that every day we are given by the Lord above really is?   

 Life this side of Heaven is so fragile and fleeting no matter how many hours and days we may accumulate in life’s ledger. Our hearts can testify over and over again to the intense brokenness and sadness that we feel when someone who occupied such a large part of our soul for so long is now no longer available to us in the manner that we long for. And while we can celebrate the truth, especially when we know without a shadow of a doubt, that our beloved has graduated to Glory and entered into the arms of Jesus; deep down inside we still ache because our arms our now empty and our ears are now void of that infectious laugh and that encouraging voice that graced the soundtrack of our lives for such a long time.

 And the weight of the wait for reunion now begins and because of the magnitude of the manner of the legacy left behind with us, we will still hear their voice in the echoes of our memories. We sense their presence in the way and the where we walk. And if the deceased happened to be one of our Parents, even when we look in the mirror, for a moment we do a double take because it is without a doubt that we see our Mom and Dad’s faces in the reflection looking back at us.

 I try to make it a conscience point to make sure I say, “Thank You” and “I Love You,” often. I also make no apology in openly and publicly sharing my faith in Jesus because my prayer is that many others will taste forever because of my investment of a few hours, a few days, a few weeks, months and even years in the lives that God has placed within my sphere of influence. The older I get, the more sober I am about keeping relationships a priority even if I tend to move a little slower or do things a little more reflectively; the reality is that I will never stop loving because I will never stop being loved! With hugs and tears and smiles too- I pray you will give a sincere hug to everyone who comes across your path today.

 One of the joys of living in a small town like ours is the privilege to get to know the many wonderful people that walk and share space with you and touch your heart in positive and powerful ways! I never had much hair to cut but I was a regular at Sam’s Barber Shop and I met Sally long before she ventured out on her own. She always shared her heart and her life as she worked her craft to perfection. I thank God that there are so many more friends than strangers in our midst and I am blessed even as I hurt for the family because you can’t ever replace a loved one. You just keep putting one foot in front of the other and with faith in God and the support of your family and friends; you try to get life right before you get left behind. Time is not necessarily a healer but more a revealer of who and what you really live for anyway! If what you are presently consumed with is incapable of loving you back, it is time to choose a new object for your affection!

 So what legacies are you presently overseeing the construction of that you will someday leave behind as a testimony of the fact that your participation as a resident on Earth was worth the effort? Do you invest your full attention in communication? Do you put your best foot forward while you walk the highways and the byways? Are you saying what needs to be articulated while you still have the audience at hand? Have you made proper arrangements for what happens when you leave this world behind? Too many people spend more time making a shopping list than they do over carefully reflecting on where they will spend eternity. I do believe that God so loved this world that he gave his only Son that whosoever believes would not perish but have everlasting life. What do you believe because it certainly will impact on how you behave!

 So I will keep on using things and loving people and take a chance on love over playing it too safe and being alone. I know that not everybody will return the affection and some will even dislike me without even making or taking the time to get to know me. Sure it stings but we can’t let the bad apples keep us from enjoying life’s delicious fruit! This article will have hit its mark if as soon as you finish reading it, you will pick up the phone or send out an email and remind somebody special exactly what makes them so! Life is fragile so please handle it with the utmost of prayer and care! If you do, regret won’t be the dominating emotion at journey’s end! Remember that the greatest of these is love and don’t keep that thought locked away but ready to give away again and again!